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Tin Man
'' |image= |series= |production=40273-168 |producer(s)= |story= |script=Dennis Putman Bailey David Bischoff |director=Robert Sheerer |imdbref=tt0708831 |guests=Michael Cavanaugh as Robert DeSoto, Peter Vogt as Romulan commander, Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien, Harry Groener as Tam Elbrun |previous_production=Captain's Holiday |next_production=Hollow Pursuits |episode=TNG C20 |airdate=21 April 1990 |previous_release=Captain's Holiday |next_release=Hollow Pursuits |story_date(s)=Stardate 43779.3 |previous_story=Captain's Holiday |next_story=Hollow Pursuits }} =Summary= The Enterprise brings aboard the Betazoid Federation emissary Tam Elbrun, and takes him to a distant star system. Elbrun, whom Deanna Troi previously knew when he was a mental patient, has a history of mental instability due to his overpoweringly strong telepathic capabilities, gained much earlier than most Betazoids, but his unique skills are used for first contact situations with alien life. On this particular mission, Elbrun's abilities are needed to try to coax a giant sentient spaceship, nicknamed "Tin Man," away from a star that is about to go supernova. En route, Elbrun finds it impossible to filter out the thoughts of the Enterprise crew, but when meeting Data, he is puzzled by finding what he calls 'absence of mind,' but also finds relief in developing a friendship with Data, who, being an artificial lifeform, has no emotions to be read. When they arrive, the Enterprise is attacked by a Romulan Warbird waiting for them. The warbird turns to attack "Tin Man," but Elbrun sends it a telepathic warning. "Tin Man" emits an energy wave that destroys the Warbird and seriously damages the Enterprise. Elbrun, now in communication with "Tin Man," reveals that it calls itself Gomtuu. Gomtuu has existed for many millennia, is possibly from another galaxy, and used to have a crew, but they were lost in a radiation accident; due to a combination of remorse (feeling responsible for the loss of the crew), loneliness (having no crew), and a feeling of uselessness (again, having no crew, no purpose), Gomtuu wishes to die in the supernova. Elbrun requests to be beamed aboard the ship but Picard is cautious of this action. When a second warbird arrives, Picard lets Elbrun transport to Gomtuu along with Data to help protect the ship. Elbrun is initially overwhelmed with data from Gomtuu but eventually comes to identify himself with the ship. With the supernova imminent, the elated Elbrun informs Data he will stay with Gomtuu, believing it is where he truly belongs. Gomtuu leaves the star's orbit moments before the start of the supernova, and sends the Enterprise and the Warbird spinning out of the star system in separate directions before they are caught in the solar blast. As the Enterprise regains control they find Data aboard the bridge, who reports what happened aboard Gomtuu. Later, when Data discusses the events with Troi, Data comes to realize that like Elbrun with Gomtuu, the Enterprise is where he belongs. =Errors and Explanations= Internet Movie Database Character error # Capt. DeSoto's first name is "Robert" here, even though he is referred to as Captain Jonathan DeSoto in Encounter at Farpoint. Maybe Jonathan is his official individual name, and Robert, which he may prefer to use, is his middle name. Factual errors # Before the star goes supernova, Tin Man hurls the Enterprise 3.8 billion kilometers away, a distance of 1.46 light-days. Once they stop, approximately 30 seconds later, they see the star explode on the main viewing screen. From that distance it would take nearly a day and a half for the light of the explosion to reach them. Not if it's being viewed using a subspace based viewing system. Nit Central # Allen McDonnell on Monday, January 08, 2001 - 4:56 pm: Why didn't Tin Man have a few kids? A swarm of those creatures would certainly change the way the Federation or anyone else does business! It may need another member of it's species for that. # What happens if Tin Man gets infected with Borg nanoprobes? A true cybernetic space dwelling life form! Of course why don't the Borg assimilate some of those creatures from Galaxy's Child? They would make conquest a pretty simple thing from the abillities we saw displayed. The creature may have a natural immunity to nanoprobes, similar to that displayed by Species 8472. # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Monday, July 23, 2001 - 2:42 am: Tam asks Picard, "You don't trust me?" If Tam is such a good telepath why would he need to ask Picard this, shouldn't he already know? He want's Picard to confirm his suspicions. # John A. Lang on Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 12:32 pm:''If Tam Elbrun is so unstable, why was he allowed to leave the Betazed Psychological Hospital? Surely, there are other Betazeds who are more stable than Tam Elbrun who could've made "first contact" with "Tin Man". Or was Betazed "smack out" of Betazeds? '''Maybe the hospital staff wanted to offload Tam onto someone else? ''Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 6:05 pm: Because he was willingly hospitalized. Elbrun wasn't insane... but from time to time he did seek treatment for his affliction (his inability to block out thoughts). I don't remember him being "unstable." At least... he didn't pose a danger to anyone.' # ''Andre Reichenbacher (Amr) on Sunday, January 16, 2011 - 4:40 pm: One thing I do wonder is how was Data able to get transported back to the Enterprise after Beta Stromgren went supernova, I thought he was way out of range for that to be possible. It's probably been discussed already, and I thought I would mention it as well. Chris Booton (Cbooton) on Monday, January 17, 2011 - 4:28 pm: Just before Data appears on the bridge, you can hear a sound that sounds like a sound Tin Man makes. I took that to mean that Tin Man teleported Data. =Sources= Category:Episodes Category:The Next Generation